CA3155175A1 - A self-driven carriage for automatically storing and accessing containers in a storage rack arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a self-driven carriage (2) for automatically storing and accessing containers (4) in a storage rack arrangement (3), wherein the carriage (2) comprises a first wheel set (37) tor driving along a first axis (x) and a second wheel set (43) for driving along a second axis (y) extending transverse to the first axis (x), wherein at least one of the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) is essentially vertically movable between a driving position and an idle position, wherein the lower one of the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) is in the driving position and the upper one of the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) is in the idle position, characterised in that the carriage (2) further comprises a support surface (39) for carrying a bottom surface of a container (4), wherein the carriage (2) further comprises a centring and securing system for centring and securing a container (4) on the support surface (39), wherein the centring and securing system comprises at least two engaging elements (41) being simultaneously movable In opposite directions to each other between an idle position and a securing position, wherein the engaging elements (41) are configured to engage, in the securing position, with the container (4) for securing the container (4) on the support surface (39).

Description

Title: A self-driven carriage for autoMaticolly storing .and accessing containers in a storage rack arrangement Description TECHNICAL FIELD
[1.1 The present; disclosure IS directed la the field of .automatic 'Nfõiare-house lagistics. more particularly to...self-driven carricmes for automati-cally storing and accessing containers in a storage rack arrangement, On automatic storage system and a method for automatically Staring and retrieving containers in racks of a storage rack arrangement BACKGROUND
2j Automatic storage systems with self-driven carriages are known in thaprior art Such arrangements. comprise storage levels, which can be connected by a lift. A lift is co.moorably complex: and limits: the through --put of storage and retrieval system. .A storage system with d lift typi-scolly comprises o number of moving and thus constructively demanding ports.
PI US: 2017/0050803AI discloses an alternative.stcrage system. To connect different storage. levels with each other a belt conveyor instead of a lift is suggested The belt conveybr .ConveySobject along ramped sections of the conveyor to interaction sites on a storage level, where the objects can he picked pp by Carriages that move, along horizontal aisle tracks.

2 [4] The carriages are bound to the storage level and Cannot change the storage level The object to be transported changes the storage level by means of the belt conveyor, The object to be transported needs to be handed over at least when the object is put on the belt conveyor to be moved from one storage level to another stordae level, when the object is picked up by a carriage of the Storage level where it is to be Moved to, and potentially when the object is handed over from the carriage to the storage site. Handing over the object is time consuming, and the carriage or the belt Conveyor could be idle, depending on the demand to move an object on a certain storage level.
[51 A track arrangement with 0 lift and/or a belt conveyor are limited in their efficiency by idle phases of the carriages, the belt conveyor, and/or the lift when handing over objects at the belt conveyor or the lift respectively. Thus, the carriages the belt conveyor, and/or the lift are lim-ited in their occupancy. The belt conveyor and the lift are constructively demanding and the cost-efficiency of such on arrangement can be im-proved. It is thus desirable to ovoid the lirnitation of to complexity of a lift or a belt conveyor, [6] EP 3 370 194 Ai discloses a warehouse management syStern with ramps instead of a lift. A plurality of carriages can traverse the track ar-rangement on any of the storage levels. The carriages can change the storage level of the rack arrangement by ramps which connect adjacent storage levels: The tracks and the ramps are arranged so that each car-riage can follow a putative best route between its current position and, e.g., an object and/or a storage site. More than one carriage an choose a route with 0 driving direction opposite to the driving Of another carriage. Therefore, carriages can potentially crash with each other: TO
avoid such a crash, a carriage Can recalculate and change it route. The clionde of a route implies that the formerly chosen putative best route has potentially not been optimal and that the carriage has chosen

3 route which is longer than necessary. Due to the presence of a plurality of carriages and potential online scheduling of routes by the self-driven car-riages, such a potential crash can hardy be determined in advance. Due to the change of the route, the time-consumption to transport an object can increase in a manner that is hardly to be predicted, This can reduce the occupancy of the interaction site and the overall efficiency of the storage system.
171 WO 2005/077789 Al and WO 2016/010429 Al disclose warehouse management systems with vehicles that are c:aocable of driving on a two-dimensional horizontal track grid on a certain ievel, wherein the vehicles change the level by means of one or more lifts.
SUMMARY
[81 It is a problem of the present disclosure to transport objects se-curely and efficient,/ in a storage rack arrangement for aulomatiooily storing and accessing objects, which is cost-effective and avoids limita-tions of the occupancy when transporting, storing and retrieving ob-iects.
191 The problem is solved by a self-driven cordage for automatically storing ond accessing containers in a storage rack arrangemeni ac-cording to the present disclosure, a storage system according to the present disclosure, and a method for automatically storing and access-ing containers in a storage rack arrangement according to the present disclosure.
[101 According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, a self-driven carriage is provided for automatically storing and accessing containers in a storage rack arrangement, wherein the carriage comprises a first wheel set for driving along a first axis and a second wheel set for driving along a second axis extending transverse to the first axis, wherein at

4 i!eC15j one of the first wheel set and the second wheel :set is esSenfially vertically movable between a driving position and On ide position, wherein the lower One of the first Wheeliset and the second wheel set: is in the driving position and the Upper one Of the first Wheel set and the second wheel set iS in the ide position. The carriage further comprises a support surface for carrying a bottom surface of a coritc.iiner, wherein the carriage further C:ompriSeS a centring and securing system for cem-tring and securing a Container on the support surface, wherein the cen-tring and 'securing system cornprises at east two engaging elements being simultdneously Movable in opposite directions to each other be-tween On idle positibn and a securing position, wherein the engaging elements are configured to engage: in the securing position, with the container for securing the container or the support surface, 1 5 P 1 The carriage according to the first aspect of the present disclo-sure is thus able to securely and efficiently transport a container that may be empty or at least partly filled with one or more containers along ramps for changing between levels of the storage system. There is thus no need for complicated and costly lifts, Furthermore, the caifiaries con be designed to have a relatively flat shape so that he carriages an drive, below the containers in the rack with a highe,t vertical ware-house density, because the corriage movement space below the con-foiners limiting the vertical warehouse density can be reduced. The se-curing system allows for the carriages to be designed without d recess to receive and secure the container in or lateral support wolls to Secure the container between. Therefore, the containers need not be Secured laterdly at a side wall but can be soleiy secured of the bottom surface of the container. This has a further beneficicil effect that the carriage can thus be much more compact not only in height. but also in length and width. This is particularly advantageous for exchange, repair and maintenance of the carriages that can be shipped eaSily and cott-effi-ciently. Preferably, the first wheel set and/or the second wheel set are embedded into the Outer Contour of the carriage for a most compact desion. However, it may be advantageous in particular for the first wheel set if the wheels extend at least partially out of the outer contour of the carriage for securing the carriage against tipping over on sloped

5 tracks: The centring and securing system effectively combines a secur-ing effect and a centring effect by the siniultaneous motion of the en-gaging elements in opposite directions to each other. The container is thereby always centred on the carriage and Securely fastened vsiithoul lateral fixations.
ID
[121 The simultaneous motion of the engaging elements in opposite directions=to each other may be a translational or a rotational motion, or a combination thereof. Preferably, the motion of the engaging ele-ments is at least partly directed outward, Le. away from a central vett-cal symmetry axis and/or a central vertical symmetry plane of the car-riage, The centring effect of the simultaneous motion of the engaging elements in opposite directions is thus preferably achieved in a horizon-tal plane, i.e. along the first axis and/or along the second axis. The en-gaging elements ore preferably arranged in a symmetric arrangement to each oTher, i.e. preferably plane-symmetric with respect to a vertical plane through the first axis or the second axis, or circular symmetric with respect to a central vertical symmetry axis of the carriage. Correspond-ingly, the engaging elements preferably move symmetrically between the idle position and the securing position, [131 If the container is not centred on the support surface before the engaging elements have reached the securing position; an engaging element on one symmetry side will touch the container earlier than on engaging element on the opposite symmetry side. Thereby, the touch-ing engaging element moves the container towards the centre until the engaging element on the opposite symmetry side engages with the contoiner so that both engaging elements secure the container in a central position on the support surface. In other words, the at least two

6 engaging elements preferably form a mutually corresponding pair of .symmetrical y arranged and movable engaging elements. in an alter-native embodiment, the motion of the engaging elements may be at least partly directed inward, Le. towards a central vertical symmetry axis and/or a central vertical symmetry plane of the carriage, [14] Optionally, the engaging elements may be positioned verticaliy below the support surface in the idle position and vertically above the support surface in the securing position. Therefore, the vertical position of the support surface may determine the total height of the c.-:arriage, at least in the idle position of the support surface, When an empty car-riage enters a rack to pick up a container, the carriage may thus be as fiat as possible. Thereby, the vertical warehouse density can be in-creased. The containers may be significantly higher than the carriages, e.g. 1.5 times higher or more.
1151 Optionally, the support surface may have a distance to the ends of the carriage along the second axis. This is particularly advantageous if the carriages enter the racks along the first axis and the containers are placed on rack fillets extending along the first axis. When a con-tainer is stored at a storage site, the ends of the bottom surface of the container along the second axis may rest on a pair the rack fillets ex-tending along the first axis, whereas the rest of the bottom surface may be freely accessible from below. Therefore, the distance of the support surface to the ends of the carriage along the second axis leaves space for the rack fillets. In other words, the length of the support surface along the second axis is preferably smaller than the distance between the pair of rack fillets in order to be able to fit between the rack fillets for lifting and/or lowering the container from below, 1161 Optionally, the engaging elements may be Mechanically cou-pled with each other and driven by one securing motor. This is efficient in terms of space consumption and production cost. Furthermore, the

7 :mechanical coupling between the engaging elements may ensure that they ore :always simultaneously 'driven in opposite directions to each other between the idle position. and the Securing. position.
[t 7] Optionally, the support surface may comprise at least three con-tact points for securely supporting a: bottom surface of a container from below: Optionally, the support surface may be essentially vertically movable relative to the lower one of the first wheel set and the second wheel set being n the driving .position. The support surface may 1.0 movable relative to only one:of the first wheel set and the second wheel.set or both. Therefore, the support surface May be passively movable relative to only one of the first wheel set and the second wheel set by the movement of said Wh.ee set it may thus have d fixed position relative to the other Wheei set, Preferably,. the support surface is 15 actively movable relative to both wheel set and the rest of the tar -awe, Thereby, the vertical positioning Of the. suppOrtsurface is Nide-pendent of the vertical positioning Of any of the wheel sets, 18] Optionally:, the first wheel Se =and/or the second wheel set are .20 essentially vertically movable by at least one lift motor. Preferably, only one .of the wheel sets is vertically movable by the at ieast one lift motor relative to the rest of the carriage. Similarly,. the support surface may be essentially vertically movable by the same or another one Of the at least one lift motor. Preferably, there are two separate lift motors for the 25 moving the wheel setts) .and for moving the support surface.
[191 Optionally, the firsfwheel set and. th:e second wheel set are driven by one drive motor, Optionally,, the first wheel 'set and :second wheel set may be driven simultaneously when the lower one .of the first 30 wheel set and the second wheel set is in the driving position and the upper one of first wheel .set and second wheel set is in the idle.posi-flan., This is particularly efficient in terms of space consumption and cost.
The powerconsumptic.).n for driving the idle wheel set is marginal only,

8 1201 Optional, the first wheel set and the second wheel set may be mechanically coupled to first wheel set anci the second wheel set may be by a gear system, wherein the gear system :is operable :with a first gear ratio and p second gear rotio, wherein the gear system N config-ured for driving the first :wheel set with the first gear ratio and for drivihq the second wheel set with the second gear ratio, wherein: the first gear Viols:at least two times, preferably at least three timeS, larger than the second gear rafio. This N a second aspect of the present disclasure that 1p N particularly advantageous in combination with the first aspect, i.e.
the centring and securing system of the Carriage, because if claws to climb ramps along the first axis both efficiently and safety. However, this second aspect of the present distlasure N also advantageous inde-pendent from the first aspect, Le; the centring and securing system of the carriage, because :it may ehobie the cordage to climb steeper ramps atOng the first Oxis, [21] Optionally, ail wheels of the fitst wheel set and/or ihe setond wheel set may be Coupled to the drive motor to be driven simultdne-ously. in particular 0 four-wheel drive for the firtt Wheel Set may be ben-eficial for climbing ramps, [221 Optionally, the centrina and securing system comprises at least one securing motor for simuitaneously moving the at least two engag-ing elements in opposite directions to each other between the Id e po-sition and the:securing poSition. The cif least one securing Motor IS pref-erably one of three motors of the carriage in total, Le: the drive motor, the rift motor and The securing motor. AU motors of the Carriage May be fed by the same rechargeable battery or different rethargeable bat -teries on board of the carriaae.
[23] Optionally; the first wheel set may hove a first wheel base and the second wheel sei may have a second wheel base, vs/herein the second wheel base is significantty larger than the first wheel ba$e. This is

9 a third aspect Of the present disclosure that is porticUlarty advanta-geous in combination with the first and/or second aspect, because it proVides a better ground Clearance for entering and leaving ramps along the first axis and thereby allows for a more efficient and safer transport of the containers on ramps along the first axis. However, this third aspect of the present diSclaSUre is also advantageous independ-ent from the other aspects, because it may enable the carriage to en-ter/leave : steeper ramps along the first axis )0 (24] Optionally, the length of the carriage along the second significantly longer than the width of the carriage along the first axis:
This is particularly advantageous in corbbination With the above-men-tioned third aspect of a larger wheel base of the second wheel set.
[25] According to another dependent or independent aspect Of the present disclosure, an automatic storage system is provided, comprising of least one:self-driven carriage as described above, and a plurality of containers for being automatically Stored and ac-cessed at Storage sites in :a storage rack arrangement extending .20 over k storage levels, wherein each container comprises a bottom surface with receiving ele-ments corresponding to the engaging element of ihe at least one self-driven carriage, wherein the receiving elements Of a container have lhe same arrangement 10 each other for all containers.
[26] it is particularly advantageous if all containers of the storage Sys-tem have a standardised bottom surface with a defined arrangement of standardised receiving elements, so that a carriage con transport:
any of the carriages. The containers may have different heights, but have preferably the same lateral dimensions in length along the sec-ond axis and width along the first axis:

[271 Optionally, the automatic 'storage system may further comprise track arrangement cornprisino - first rail tracks having a first track gauge and extending essentially along the first axis, and second rail tracks having a second track gauge and extending essentially along the second axis, wherein the first track gauge is significantly larger than the second track gauge. In order to reduce the risk 'kg the carriages to lose the balance on the rail tracks, the irock, gauges are preferably as large as possible.

10 This means that the wheels of both wheel sets are preferably tocated at the ends of the carriage along the first axis and the second axis, re-spectively, Thus, the difference between the track gauges is particularly beneficial in combination with the carriage being lanaer along the sec-ond axis than wide along the first axis.
[28] Optionally, the track arrangement may comprise at least Z track ievels, vvherein z k with k being he number of storage levels of the storage rack arrangement, an entry point on the mtil track level for each interaction site, wherein mEti,õõz}, and an exit point on the ntrs track level for each interac.tion site, wherein n E õ 21, From the entry point, the interaction site can be reached by a carriage via tracks of the track arrancement. From the exit point, the interaction site can be left by a carriage via tracks of the track arrangement. The.mth track level is called "entry point level' and the nm track level is called the "exit point lever. The entry point level is the track level at which a track leads from the entry point to the interaction site. The exit point level is the track level at which a track leads from the interaction site to the exit point. The track 1&./el, at which the interaction site is arranged, is called "interaction site /ever, All track levels, or at least a subset of them, may correspond to the k storage levels of The storage rack arrangement.
However, in sc.)me embodiments, the track arrangement may con-prise auxiliary intermediate track levels in addition to the track levels that

11 correspond to the storage levels. At an intetaction site o container car-ried by a carriage may be emptied and/or filled or otherwise pro-cessed. While the container is being processed, the one or more batter-ies of the carriage may be Charged by charger module located at the interaction sue. The charging may be performed inductively or by on electrical connection with the charger module.
[29] According to the another dependent or independent aspect of the present disclosure, the track arrangement further comprises for to each interaction sitee z m first one-way ITYlps directed downward to-wards the entry pOint second one-way romps directed upward towards the entry point n third one-way ramps directed upward away from the exit point, and fourth one-way ramps directed downward away from the exit point: Therein, q one-way ramp is g ramped track. A first one-way ramp is a ramped one-way track that ex-tends from track level Z downward to Z -1, from z - I to Z 2, and from 7, -ni + i to 2-m. A second one-way ramp is a ramped one-way track that extends upward from track level": to 2, from 2 to 3, and from nt i to ro. A third one-way ramp is a romped one-way track that 4 extends upward from track level n to n + 1, from n to rt. + 2, ...., and from z .to z. A fourth one-way ramp is a romped one-way track Thai extends downward from track level 11 ion - t, from n to - 2, .,>, and from 2 to 1, [30] The one-way ramps ensure that a Carriage can change track levels effectively. A carriage on a track levei Can access any other track level by choosing a path along one or more of the one-way ramps which leads to the chosen storage level. A Carriage can transport a Container over one or more storage levels from the interoc-'lion Site to a Storage site, or from a storage site to the interaction site by the one-way romps. i,e, a potentially time-consuming handing over of containers can he dispensed With. The throughput Of the traCk

12 arrangement is determined by the tracks and the carriages and is not limited by other transportation means, e.g. by a ft or a belt conveyor, and/or a carriage that is idle When waiting for said other transportation means, Thereby, the complexity and the construction of the track ar-rangernent is comparably simple and comprises only one or more car-riages as Movable parts which makes the track arrangement cost-ef-fecilve.
[311 The one-way ramps ensure that there is at least one first pot, i.e., a route that a carriage can take, between a storage level and the in-teraction Site so that a container can be moved from a storage site to the interaction site and at least one second path between the interac-tion site and any storage level so that Q container can be moved from the interaction site to a storage site, This reduces the risk of a potential crash and therefore of a recalculation and change of a route.
1321 Optionally, for each interaction site, the entry paint and the exit point may be arranged at on identical track level. In this embodiment, the interaction site can be reached from the sOme track level from where the interaction site can be left This is particularly efficient, when a container is to be stored at and/or picked up from the sibrage level of which the interaction site is arranged. In this embodiment the entry point level and the exit point level are identicd per interaction site to Improve the efficiency of the layout and construct on of the trot.* or-rangement. in an alternative embodiment, the entry point level can be different from the interaction site level. This can be parlicUlarly effective to provide a path without the tisk of a collision, e,g. when the track ar-rangement comprises exactly One route Via one-way romps between The entry point and the interaction site, [331 Optionally, one or More Of the first one-way ramps, of the sec-ond one-way ramps, of the third one-way ramps, and/or of the fourth

13 one-way ramps may be arranged to connect adjacent track levels with each other. This embodiment provides a track arrangement that allows a carriage to move directly from one track level to an ad acent track level, Le. from a track level n e [1, ..,z) to an upper track level n.
1 e and/or to a lower track level n 1 E This embodi-Ment comprises shortest possbie paths between adjacent storage lev-els:
[34] Optionaily, one or more of the first one-way ramps, of the secH
ono one-way ramps, of the third prie-WCV ramps, and/or of the fourth one-way ramps may be arranged to connect next-nearest track levels with each other and/or at least two track levels with"each other having two or more track levels between said connected at least two track levels. l.e. such a one-way romp extends over at least three track levels 5 but does not need to connect adjacent track levels. This embodiment provides a track arrangement that allows a Carriage to move directly from one track level to 0 track level with at least one track level in be-tween, I.C, from a track level n (1.õ.,M to on upper storage level n +
e 2 and/or to a lower storage level rt.¨ s ,z),s 2. This embodiment can be particularly effective n providing a path to pre-vent a potential collision of carriages which improves the: efficiency of transportatibn, 1351 Optionally: the first one-way ramps May Comprise a first se-.25 Of first ramps, the second one-way ramps may comprise a sec-ond sequence of second romps, the third one-way ramps may com-prise a third sequence of third ramps: and/Or the fourth one-way ramps May comprise a fourth seaUence Of fourth ramps. Preferably, a se-quence of ramps may be a plurality of one-way ramps, wherein on exit point of one one-way ramp is identical to or close to an entry point of a subsequent One-way ramp. Le.: a carriage can move along the se-quence of ramps while traversing said one-way ramps Without

14 traversing longer tracks other than said one-way ramps. Advanta-geously, each subsequent pair of one-way ramps of a sequence of ramps is connected with each other by one or two horizontal connec-tion points, A sequence of ramps improves the efficiency of transport-ing a container from one level to another level by passing one or more levels in between, [36] Optionally, the track arrangement may comprise a plurality of in-teraction sites to issue and/or retrieve a plurality of containers prefera-i 0 bly with a plurality of carriages simultaneously. The interaction sites can be arranged al an identical track level. Alternatively, at least two inter-action sites con be arranged at different track levels which can im-prove the performance of the automated storage and retrieval system, se,g. when one interaction site is arranged near storage sites which are accessed more frequently than other storage sites further away from said interaction site, [37] Optionally, a first subset of first one-way ramps. a second subset of second one-way ramps: a third subset of third one-way ramps, and/or a fourth subset of fourth one-way ramps may be configured to connect any one of the storage sites with exactly one interaction site.
The first subset of first one-way ramps may comprise preferably Z m first one-way ramps directed downward towards the entry point of the interaction that it connects to, it is possible that the track (.11'-rangement comprises a plurality of first subsets of first one-way romps, wherein any two first subsets of first one-way ramps are configured to connect to different interaction sites. The second subset of second one-way romps comprises preferably m -1 second one-way ramps directed upward towards the entry point. The third subset of third one-way ramps comprises preferably z n third one-way ramps directed upward away from the exit point The fourth subset of fourth one-way ramps comprises preferably n -1 fourth one-way ramps directed downward away from the exit point. Similarly., as explained with feference to the first subset of first one-way ramps, the: track arrangement can comprise a plurality of second subsets of second one-way tracks, third subsets of third one-way tracks and/or fourth subsets of fourth one-way tracks; wherein any 5 two of said subsets of one-Way ramps are configured to connect to:dif-ferent interaction sites. This is particular effective since the risk of:col&
sions Of Carriages on the routes from an entry point and its interaction :site can be significantly reduced.
10 [:38.] Optionallyõ for each interaction site; the first subset of first one-way romps; the second subset of second one-way ramps, thelhird Sub-set of third one-way ramps, and/or the fourth subset of fourth one-way ramps may be configured to connect any one of the storage sites with exactly one interaction site. This embodiment reduces the risk Of colli-i 5 sions of carriages and provides the possibility of a modular arrange-ment of the track arrangement. i.e. the subsets of one-way ramps and the corresponding interaction sites can be repeated transversely to the aisle direction periodically along the rack arrangement, Wherein each periodic repetition can compriSe one or more of so d subsets of one-way romps and one or more interaction Sites.
[391 Optionally: the !rack arrangement may cOMprise at least one bi-directional horizontal track connectoble to all aisle'tracks on each stor-age level, The bidirectional horizont01 track can Conned any aisle track with connection poinM wherein a connection point connects the laidi-rectional horizontal track to one or more one-way tamps. i.e. a carriage can drive a path between a storage site and the interaction site by traversing the horizontal aisle track the horizontal bidirectional track and one or more of the one-way roMps. The bidirectional horizontal ir.ack Can connect one Or more aisle tracks With one or more of the one-way ramps to provide 0 plurality Of possible paths for the carriages.

[40] Optionally, the track arrangement may comprise a first horizontal one-way track :connectable to all aisle traCks On each storage level in a first driving direction:Tile first horizontal one-way track may prevent that carriages crash during traversing the horizontal one-way track:
Therefore, a'Carriage can choose an optimal route, e,g, between the interaction site and the storage Site. A recalculation and change of a route of a carriage can be dispensed with, which improves the Off,-ciency of transportation of a container.
1.0 [411 Optionc*, the track arrangement may comprise a second hori-zontal one-way: track connectable to all aisle tracks on each storage leve in a second driving direction opposite .to the first :directiOn. The two horizontal one-way tracks of the track arrangement allow a movement of a carriage in any horizontal direction transverse to the aisle direction to move towards or away from an aisle efficiently on. an optimal route.
[42] Optionally, on at least one storage level, the bidirectional h.ori;-2o.ntal track, the. first horizontal one-way track and/or the second hori-zontal one-way track may extend transversely to the aisle direction to improve the constructiOn Of the track arrangement by providing.
space-saving eMbodiment which allows for short paths: This embodi-ment is parlicvlariy space saving in the aisle direction at a .front face of the rock arrangement at which the frock arrangement is arrangeoble..
25: [43 Optionally, the bidirectional horizontal trot*, the. first horizontal one-way frock and/oltheSecond.horizOntal one-way frock may be ar-ranged, in the aisle direction, between the aisle tracks and any of the.
'first., Second, third, and/or fourttrone-way ramps. This .embodiment comprises the mitqi(nt" number of cross-sections of tracks and thereby provides ti track arrangement with d minimum chance that two paths of carriages cross each other simultaneously.

[44} Optionally, the first one-way raMps, the second one-way rarnps, the third one-way ramps, and/or the fourth one-way ramps may have a driving direction transverse to the aisle direction to allow an effective arrangement of the one-way tracks that is space-savind and provides short paths, [451 Optionally, the track arrangement may comprise at least one Connection track, wherein the connection track extends in aisle direc-tion, The connection track(s) may be bidirectional or unidirectional, The connection track may extend along the rdsies to allow a carriage to drive towards and away from a storage site at the same section of the aisle frock. in this embodiment, the track arrangement c,on be ar-ranged at one foce, e,gõ the front face: of the rack: arrangement. The connection track can extend outside an aisle to provide on efficient change of different tracks.
[46] Optionally, the at least one connection track may comprise at least one connection point wherein the connectea point connects at least Iwo of the following with each other: one or more horizontal tracks one or more one-way ramps, and/or the interaction site. Le., a connection point is a horizontal track section, which connects different ports Of the track arrangement, e.g., ramps and/or horizontal traCks, with each other, By :aligning at least one connection !Deiht at a cOn-nection track an effective change of different tracks is possible Prefer-ably, connection track comprises a plurality of connection points to CIIIQW an effective change between a plurality Of different tracks on shortest pot [471 Optionally, subSequent first one-Way ramps may be connected to each other by one or two horizontal connection points and/or subse-quent second one-way romps may be Connected to each other by one or two horizontal connedioh points, and/or Subsequent third :one-way romps may be connected to each other by one or two horizonloi connection points, and/or subseaUent fourth one-way ramps may be connected to each other by one Or two horizontal connection points.
pair of subsequent romps May be connected by means of the connec-fan point without any further horizontal track between said romps. in this embodiment,:subseqUent ramps are connected so that a path along subsequent ramps between mLjltiple levels has a short length, [48.] OptiOnaliy, any connectiOn point may be arranged on a three, dimenSional grid', Le. each connection point may define a grid point of the three-dimensional grid. This embodiment can improve the layout of the track (arrangement and simplify the navigation and/or coordination Of one or more carriages, The grid provides we defined coordinates at grid points where connection points i-.:.~.(an be ocqted. NO any of the grid points needs to comprise a connection point, i.e., the grid can comprise a grid point Without a connection point.
[49] Optionally( the grid may comprise 2 track levels, Y track rows, and X track columns; wherein X, Y, Z: e N, wherein each track tow ex tends horizontally and transverse, the aisle direCtion, and each 'frock column extends vertically to provide an alianment Of the grid and the track arrangernmt. Thus, a sequence of track rows extends horizontally along the aisle direction, whereas a sequence Of track COlurrns ex-tends hortzontally transversely to the aisle direction. The track colutnns may be connected to each other by the ramps. If the length of The romps s L arid the slope angle= of the ramps Fs a, the distance D be--tween the track columns may be D sin (K, [50] Optionall,,,,, the number of track leVels May equal the number of 5torage levels, he. z k, at each storage level: crl least one connection point is potentially arranged. However, in some embodiments, the track arrangement may cOmprise ciuxiary nierinediate track levels in addition to the track levels that correspond to the storage levels, Le.
Z > k. The number of track rows is preferably three to fiVe lo provide a spate-saving embodiment. An embodiment with three track rows may comprise on each level a bidirectional horizontal track in a first track row closest to the Storage rack arrangement, one-way ramps With a positive slope angle in a second track row, and one-Way ramps with a negative slope angle in a third track row, Alternatively, the second track row May comprise One-way ramps with a negative slope angle, whereas the third track row May comprise one-way ramps with a posi-)0 tive slope angle. An embodiment with four track rows may comprise on each level a first unidirectional horizontal track in a first horizontal driv-ing direction transverse to the aisle direction yn the first track row and :second unidirectional horizontal track in a second horizontal driving di-rection opposite the first horizontal driving direction yn the second frock row, The third track row may comprise one-way ramps with a posi-tive(negative) slope angle, whereas the fourth track row may comprise one-way romps with a negative(positive) slope angle. An embodiment with five track rows may be similar to the embodiment with four track rows:, but an additional track row may comprise on each level a bidi-rectional horizontal track for adapting the distance between track col-umns of the track orrangement (determined by 1.h ramp length and The ramp slope angle) to the distance between aisles of the storage rack arrangement. Preferably, the number 01 track columns equals the number of levels in order to reduce the number directional changes of the carriages. If the number of track columns must be chosen to be less than the number Of levels, for example duo to lateral space limitatiOns, a path along a sequence of romps may include turns of 180 degrees via two adjacent Connection points including a transfer to the adja-cent track row. Preferably, the entry point and exit point of on interaa-tion site are arranged at adjacent track columns on the same level, A
"180-degree turn" On a one-Way path shall mean herein that the car-riage Changes to the opposite driving directing by two subsequent 90-degree turns at two adjacent connection points to change to another unidirectional Or bidirettional 'rat,* allowing the opposite driving direc-ilom Th s means that the carriage must change the track row during a 180-degree turn on a one-way path.
[51] Optionally, between each pair of adjacent track columns one or more (up to Y-1) one-way ramps with a positive $ ppp angle may be an in one track row, and between the same pair of :adjacent track columns the same number of ramps With a negative slope angle may 10 be arranged in an adjacent track row, The ramps of the same track row may be preferably arranged essentially in parallel to each other.
These embodiments each provide a track arrangement with an im-proved usage of constructive space in the aisle direction.

15 [52j Optionally; at least one of the first one-way ramps, second one--way ramps, third oneway ramps, and/or fourth one-Way ramps may have a slope angle of 5 to 20 decrees, preferably 12 to 17 degrees. For example, at !east one of the ramps may have a slope angle of 15 de-grees, This embodiment provides a slope angle :so that each ramp is et-20 fectively drivable by a Carriage and requires 0 preferred amount of constructive space in horizontal direction to connect different storage levels. Preferably, the absolute amount of the Slope dive of all ramps it essentially the same. Preferably, the sign of the slope angle the same for=all ramps of the same track row and different between ramps of adjacent track rows. Preferably, the all ramps have essentially the some length. Thereby, the ramps may all be identical to each other to reduce the diversity of ports the track arrangement is composed of.
[43] Optionally, the at least one interaction site may comprise a charger module for charging a battery Of a carriage during automati-cally processing a stored container and/or automatically issuing a con-tainer to be Stared, in this embodiment, a carriage can be charged during handing over d container to and/or from the carriage. The time during a stored container is processed and/or a container to be stored is issued is thereby used effectively. Preferably this time is sufficient to charge the battery to last until the carriage returns to el Charger module next time, so that the carriage does not any extra pauses to charge its battery, [54] Optionc*, the track arrangement may comprise a one-way in-teraction track to connect the entry point of the interac lion site with the at least one interaction site and ihe at least one interaction site with the exit point of the interaction site. This embodiment improves the con-nection of the interaction site with other tracks of the track arrange-ment.:The :one-way interaction tracl,.: prevent potential collision of car-riages that drive towards or away from the interaction site. Preferably, the interaction track is a loop which leads from the entry, point via the interaction site to the exit point. The leap is preferably closed by the first horizontal one-way track and/or the second horizontal one-way track.
Optionally, the one-way interaction track comprises and/or is a horizon-tal track.
20:
[55] Optionally, the track arrangement May be arranged so that it can be Scaled and extended as: desired by one Or more levels and/or track Columns of the frock arrangement. Thus, the track alrangement may be comprised of a Modular construction kit Comprising ramps hor-izontal tracks and connection points. The size and loyout of such a track arrangement can be adjusted to the storage rock arrangement by choosing the Most appropriate number of track columns and ramps per frock Column.
[56 Optionally, the track arrangement may comprise an optical Marker, an electrical fag and/or a lane marking so that a carriage con detect its position and/or check/improve its position information.

Preferably, the carriage may Comprise a defection device which is adapted to detect a marker, tag and/or Marking of any of the one.-way tracks. For example, the carriage may Comprise a camera to de-tect an optical marker and/or lane marking, and/or an RFID reader to read on electrical tag. A marker, tag, and/or marking tan be arranged in and/or at alrack bed of a track Which are configured to guide the carriages along said track..
(571 According to another dependent or independent aspect of the present disclosure, an automated storage and retrieval system is pro-vided comprising the aforementioned track arrangement and at least one se:if-driven carriage being configured lo drive along a defined first path along onewoy ramps of the track carranclems,,,nt for automatically transporting a stored container from a storage site to an interaction site and/or to drive along a defined second path along one-way ramps of the track arrangement for automatically transporting a container from the interaction site to a storage site, The at least one carriage may comprise a battery to power a drive motor of the carriage and prefera-bly to be charged by charging module which may be located ot ihe interaction site; a detection device which is adopted to detect a marker, lao and/or marking of any of the one-way tracks; and a driving arrangement to interact with the tracks, e.g. the driving arrangement may comprise wheels with a lateral distance and wheelbase that fits The tracks and romps of the track arrangement.
15.81 Optiona ly, the at least one carriage may comprise a first wheel set of four wheels for driving fourth and bark: in the aisle direction and a second wheel set of four further wheels for driving fourth and hock transversely to the aisle direction and for driving the. ramps up word/downward, The driving direction of the fir$i: wheel set differs from the driving direction of the second wheel set by 59 degrees, At least one of the first wheel set and the second wheel set may be vertically lowered and lifted relative to the other wheel set, $o that the lower Whed .set : is the 'active wheel set for driving white the upper wheel Setts the idle wheel Set. The driving direction may be changed at cannec-tion points of the track arrangement by Changing the active wheel set,.
i.e., by lowering the idle Wheel set and/or lifting the active wheel set.
5:
[591 Optionally, the track .arrangement is arranged at a front face of the storage rack arrangement to provide a space-saving construction of the automated storage .and retrieval system.
[60] Optionally, the at least one. carriage May comprise a Sensor ar-rangement and the track arrangement comprises on Optical Marker, an electrical tag and/Or a lane Marking, wherein the sensor arrange-ment is configured to identify the Optical marker, the electrical tag and/or the lane marking for determining the position Of the at least one 15. Carriage in the track. arrangement.
[61] According to another dependent or independent aspect of the present disclosure, 0 methOd . for au.tOmaticoily storing and/or retrieving containers in racks of a storage rack arrangement is provided. The method Comprising the steps of:
driving a self-driVen carriage on a first rail track having a first track gauge and extending along a 'first axis for positioning the .carriage at an aisle between the racks, wherein the carriage is driven With a first gear. ratio, driving the carriage on a second rail track having .0 second track gauge and extending along a second axis transverse to the first axis for.
positioning the carriage along the aisle, wherein the carriage is driven with a second gear ratio, driving the carriage on a first rail track having the first track gauge and extending along the first axis for positioning the .carriage within .a rack. below a container, wherein the carriage is driven with =lhe first gear ratio., lifting/ a support surface of the carriage for carrying a bottom sur-face of the contµ,-)iner, - securing and centring the container on the suppori surface by simultaneously moving al least Iwo engaging elements in opposite di-rections to each other from an idle position into a securing position for engaging, in the se.curing position, with corresponding receiving ele-ments at the bottom surface of the container, - driving the carriage carrying the container on the first rail track for leaving the rack towards an aisle, wherein the carriage is driven with the first gear ratio, - lowering the support surface, and driving The carriage on a second rail track having a second track gauge ond extending aiona the second axis for leaving the aisle to-wards an interaction site for processing the container, wherein the car-riage is driven with the second gear ratio, [621 The above steps may preferably be steps for retrieving a con-tainer from the storage rack arrangement. The steps above may be typically performed after the carriage has stared another container in the storage rack aiTangement is now avaiic.ible for c new task. For in-stance, the carriage may be already on the desired orage level of the new task and may, in the first step, drive on a horizontal track being first roil track to find the desired aisle,. As a second step, the carriage may enter the aisle along an aisle track being a second rail frock with a narrower track gauge than the horizontal track being a first rail track. In the second =step, the carriage may drive with a lower gear ratio for driv-ing faster at a r...-ertain motor speed compared to driving on ia first rail track with a higher gear ratio at the same motor speed. This is particu-larly advantageous to reduce the time for storing and/or retrieving the container if the storage rack arrangement is longer along the second axis than along than along the first axis.

i.63) In the second step, the carriage May find the desired position along the aisle for 'entering the rack. in the Third step, the carriage May enter the rack to find the desired position below a desired container, The containers may be placed on rack fillets extending along the first 5 axis and hovina a vertical distance to 'the first rail tracks within the stor-age rack arrangement The vertical distance is preferably larger than the height of the carriage so that the carriages can enter the storage.
rack arrangement below thefackfillets,. There may be one or more than one container placed .above the same first rail track within the 10 storage rack arranaement. An embodiment With only one container per first rail track may be advantageous for a quick retrieving and stor-ing time, because there is no need for rearranging other containers be-fore retrievina or storing the desired container. A first rail track may con-hpci-to the adjacent first rail track of the neighbouring track. accessible 15 from the neighbouring aisle., so that a carriage may enter a first rail frock from one aisle and lcave it via the connected first rail track at the other (*le; or vice versa in case of more than one container stored.
over one first rail 'track, it may be necessary to rearrange containers to other free, preferably dose-by, storage sites before the desired con-20 tainer or storage site can be accessed. An embodiment of more than .one container per first rail .track may be thus slower in terms Of retrieving and storing -time, but advantageous :in terms of lateral warehouse den-sity, because fewer aisles are needed. Preferably, the position along a first roil track.within the storage rack. arrangement may depend On the 25 expected lime for next. access of. the container. For iess frequently at--tossed containers, a "deeper position within the. rat* May be pre-ferred, whereas more frequently accetsed containers may be placed closer. to an aisle, 3.0 64] Once the path between the deSired Container and an aisle free and the carriage is placed below the desired container, the sup-port surface of the carriage may be lifted for carrying a bottom surface of the container in the fourth step. The container may thus be lifted off the rack fillets on which it stood. The support surface therefore prefera-bly fits between the rack fillets. in a fifth step, the container may be se-cured and centred on the support surface by simultaneously moving at least two engaging elements in opposite directions to each other from an idle position into a securing position for engaging, in the securing position, with corresponding receiving elements at the bottom surface of the container. There is thus no need for the carriages to have secur-ing side walls, which would be detrimental to the desired compact de-1.0 sign of the carriages.
[65] In a sixth step, the carriage carrying the container from below may either drive to the same =aisle it came from or via a connected first rail track to the neighbouring aisle, depending on which path is free and/or shortest to the destination, i.e. the desired interaction site.
[661 Once the carriage has left the rack and is positioned on an aisle track being a second rail track, the carriage may lower the support sur-face again to lower the centre-of-gravity of the carriage carrying the container in a seventh step. This reduces the risk of the carriage falling over at ramps or bumps or during quickly breaking and acceierating.
[67] In the last eighth step, the carriages may drive quickly with the second gear ratio along the aisle track back towards the horizontal track at the front face of the storage rock arrangement. The horizontal track may be part of a track arrangement at the front face of the stor-age rack arrangement for accessing other track levels and finally enter-ing the interaction site via first or second one-way romps as described above.
[68] Optionally, preferably for storing a container in the storage rack arrangement, the method May further comprise:
driving the carriage carrying the container on a first rail track having: the first track gauge and extending along the first axis for posi-tioning the carriage at an aisle between the racks.. Wherein the car-riaae is driven With the first gear ratio, driving the carriage carrying the Container on a second rail trod( having the second track gauge and extending along the second axis transverse to the first axis tor positioning the carriage along the aisle, wherein the carriage is driven with the second gear ratio, lifting the support surface Of the carriage together with the con-tainer, - driving the carriage carrying the container on the first rail track for positioning the carriage within a rock at an empty siorade site, wherein the carriage is driven with the first gear ratio, unseculing the container by simultaneously moving the at least two engaging elements in opposite directions to each other from the securing position into the iale position for disengaging, in the idie posi-tion, the receiving elements at the bottom surface of the container;
lowering the support surface for placing the container at the storage site, and driving the carriage on the first rail track for leaving the rack to-wards an aisle., wherein the carriage is driven with the first gear ratio, [69) The step above may be performed independently of the steps for retrieving a container, but preferably performed in combination for retrieving and storing containers. The steps above may be typically per-formed after 'the container has b.60r1 issued at the interaCtiOn :site and left the interaction site via third or fourth one-way romps to reach the desired storage level, [70] For instance, the carriage may be already on the desired star-age level and May, in the first step, drive on a horizontal track being a first rail track to find the desired aisle. AS a second step, the Carriage May enter the aisle along an aisle track being a second rail track with a narrower track gauge than the horizontal track being a first roil track. ri the second step, the carriage may drive with a lower gear ratio for driv-ing faster at a certain motor speed compared to driving on a first rail track with a higher sear ratio at the same motor speed. This is particu-lady advantageous to reduce the time for storing and/or retrieving the container if the storage rack arrangement is longer along the second axis than along than along the first axis.
[71J Once the carriage has found the desired rack, the carriage may lift the support surface to lift the container above the rack fillets in order to be able to enter the rack in a third step. The carriage may drive on the first rail track below rack fillets while it is carrying the container above ihe rack fillets. Driving with a lifted support surface only when necessary reduces the risk of the carriage falling over at ramps or bumps or during quickly breaking and accelerating.
(72 In the fourth step, the carriage may enter the rack to find The de-sired storage site along the first rail track for storing the container. The containers may be placed on rack fillets extending along the first axis and having a vertical distance to the first rail tracks within the storage rack arrangement. The vertical distance is preferably larger than the height of the carriage so thai the carriage can enter the storage rack arrangement below the rack fillets and carry the container above the rack fillets. There may be one or more container already stored in the way between the aisle and the desired storage site. In such a case, the carriage must park the container it is actually carrying at another close-by free storage site for rearranging the other containers until the path to the storage site is free, An embodiment with only one container per first rail track may be advantageous for a quick retrieving and storing time, because there is no need for rearranging other containers before re-trieving or storing the desired container. A first rail track may connect to the adjacent first roil track of the neighbouring track accessible from the neighbouring aisle, so thal a carriage may access a storage site from two neighbouring aisles: An embodiment of more inah one con-tamer per first rail track may be slower in terms Of retrieving and storing time, but advantageous in terms of iateral warehouse density, because fewer aisles are needed. Preferably. the 'position of a storage site along a.firstroil track within the storage rack arrangement may depend on The expected time for next access of the Container 'at issue. For lest fre-quently accessed containers, a "deeper" .position within the rack may be preferred, whereas more frequently accessed containers may be placed .ciosento on aisle..
i [73] Once the path. between the desired container and an aislets free and the carriage carrying the container at issup..below the desired free storage site, the support surface of the carriage may be lowered for placing. a bottom surface of the container on: the rack fillets in the.
15 fourth step. The support surface therefore preferably fits between the rocir, fillets in a fifth step, the container may be unsecured by simultane-ously moving the of least two. e.ngooing elements in Opposite directions to each other from the securing position into .the idle position for disen-gaging, in .the idle position, the receiving elements at the bottom sur-.20 fooe. of the container. There is thus no need for the .carriages to have securing side wails, which would be d.etrimentai to the desired com-pact design of the carriages, .5ecuring side walls of The carriages would.
also teduCe the warehouse density along the first axis and/or the Seer-and axis, because the containers would need to be stored with diarger .25 noriZOntai distance to each other along the first axis and/or the .second axis.
[74] In a sixth step, the cotriage,without the container may either drive to the same aisle it came from or via a connected :first rail frock to.
30 the neighbouring aisle, depending on which path is free and/or shortest to the destination, he. the desired con tainenof the next 'task, [75] Once the carriage has left the rack and is positioned on an aisle track being a second raii track. the carriage may lower the support sur-face again to lower the centre-of-gravily of the carriage carrying the container in a last seventh step. This reduces the risk of the carriage fall -5 ing over at ramps or bumps or during quickly breaking and accelerat-ing, [76] In an optional eighth step, the carriages may drive quickly ,,vith the second gear ratio along the aisle track back towards the horizontal 10 track at the front face of the storage rack arrangement for the next task The horizontal track may be part of a track arrangement at the front face of the storage rack arrangement for accessing other track levels and finally accessing the storage level of the next task.
15 77] Optionally, the first gear ratio is at least two times, preferably at least three times, larger than the second gear ratio. This is particularly useful for driving efficiently on ramps for changing between track levels and driving quickly along the aisle tracks=
, 20 (78] Optionally, the first track. gauge is significantly larger than the second track gauge. This is particularly advantageous, because the carriages may have a first wheel set for driving along the first axis, wherein the first wheel set may have a relatively short first wheel base for driving along the ramps. For driving safely and more quickly, the car-25 riages may have a second wheel set for driving along the second axis, wherein the second wheel set may have a relatively long second wheel base for driving along the aisle tracks. As the wheels of the wheel sets are preferably positioned at the most lateral positions as possible for the sake of driving stability, the first track gauge is preferably signifi-30 cantly larger than the second track gauge.
[791 Optionally, driving the carriage with or without the container on a first rail track comprises driving on a ramp for changing between storage levels of the storage rack arrangement. Preferably, these ramps are the first, second, third and fourth one-way ramps of a track ar-rangement at the front face of the storage rack arrangement. So. the Firsi rail tracks are preferably not only used within the storage rack ar-rongement for accessing and storing c.ontainers in a rack, but also on The ramps and on the horizontal tracks along the first axis.
SUMMARY OF THE DRAWINGS
[80] Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described by way of example with reference to the foilowina figures of which:
Figs, I a,b show iwo examples of an automated sioracie system ac-cording tocn embodiment of the present disclosure;
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a car-riage carrying a container according to the present dis-closure:
Fig, 3 shows a side view along the second axis of the carriage carrying a container shown in Fig. 2:
Figs, &Lb shows perspective views on the carriage shown in Figs. 2 and 3 with a lowered support surface (Hg. 4a) and a lifted support surface (Fig, 4b), respectively;
Fig. 5 shows a perspective view on the carriage shown in Figs. 2-4 with a casing shown transparently;
Fig. 6 shows a top view on the carriage shown in Figs, 2-5 with a c:asing and support surface shown transparently;

Fig. 7 shows a side view along the second axis of the c,arriage shown in Figs, 2-6 with a casing transparently;
Fig. 8 shows a side view along the first axis of the carriage shown in Figs. 2-7 with a casing transparently;
Has. 9o,b shows perspective views on The support surface and the securing and centring system of a carriage shown in Figs, 2-8;
Figs. 10aõb show a perspective view and a front view, respectively, of another embodiment of a cordage according to on em-bcAlment of the present disclosure on a ramp; and Fig. 11 shows a schematic diagram of a control system of a car-riage shown in Figs. 2-9, [811 Figure 1 shows an automated storage system 26 according to an embodiment of the present (disclosure. The automated storage system comprises a -track arrangement 1 arranged in and/or at a rock ar-ranaernent 3, in particular at al front face 32 of the rack arrangement 3, ana a plurality of self-driven carriages 2. The track arrangement 1 is con--figured so that a plurality of self--driven carriages 2 can drive along the 25 track arrangement 1, e.g. by comprising tracks having a track width that allows an efficient and stable driving of the carriaaes 2. The storage rack arrangement 3 is here relatively widc- along a first axis x with nine racks 9 and eight =aisles 9 between the racks 6. The storage rack arrangement 3 is also quite along a second axis y with 15 storage site 6 arranged along the aisles 9. The storage rack arrangement 3 is thus arranged on a grid with 15 storage rows along the second axis y. As six of the racks 9 com-prises two storage sites 6 along the first axis x and three of the racks 9 comprises four storage Sites 6 along the first axis x, ihere are in total 24 storage rows along the first axis x and five storage levels along the :verti-cal axis z, i.e. k =:5. The total number of storage sites 6 is thus 1,800.
[82] The storage rack arrangement 3 for automatically storing and ac-cessing containers 4 comprises a pluralily of storage sites 5 being ar-ranged in. a plurality of racks 6 extending over a plurality of k storage levels. The storage sites 5 are accessible by horizontal aisle tracks 8 on each storage level, wherein the aisle tracks 8 extend in an aisle direction y along aisles: 9 between the racks 6. The racks 6, the aisleS 9, and the aisle tracks 8 extend parallel to each other so that the aisle directions y of any pair of adjacent aisles 9 are parallel to each other. Preferably, the storage sites 5 are arranged on O. three-dimensional grid. All figures corn-prise a right-handed Cartesian coordinate system with a vertical z-axis, a forward y-axis, and a lateral x-axis. Therefore, the aisle direction y is di-rected along the y-axis The positive y-axis shall mean herein a "forward"
longitudinal direction, whereas. the: negative y-axis s:hall mean a "back-ward" longitudinal direction. Analogously, the positive x-axis shall mean o lateral direction "to the left", whereas the negative x,axis shall mean a lateral direction "to the right''. Analogously, the positive z-axis shall mean an "upward" vertical direction, whereas the negative z-axis shall mean "downward" vertical direction, (83} The track arrangement 1 connects each storage site 5 with an in-teraction site IQ for automatically processing stored containers 4 and/or automatically issuing containers 4 to be stored, The track arrangement comprises in this embodiment as many track levels as storage levels:
i.e. V k, wherein the track levels correspond to the storage levels. The interaction site 10 is arranged at a track level that may be denoted as "interaction site level", in on alternative embodiment, the track arrange,-rnent I can comprise a plurality of interaction sites 10 and/or can con-ned each storage site 5 with a plurality of inieroction sites 10. This can improve the throughput of the automated storage system 2$ and pro-vide shorter paths between an interaction site 10 and any of the storage sites 5.
[84] As shown in Figure 1 , the irack arrangement 1 comprises first one-way ramps 14, second one-way ramps i 6, third one-way ramps 20, and fourth one-way ramps 22 so that any pair of adjacent storage levels is connected with each other. Advantageously, the first, second, third, and fourth one-way ramps 14, 16, 20, 22 connect all Y track levels of the rack arrangement 3. Thereby; a carriage 2 can reach any storage level from an adjacent storage level 7.
1851 The track arrangement 1 comprises a horizontal bi-directional track 11 connectable to all aisle tracks 8 on each storage level along a first axis x. Alternatively, instead of one horizontal bi-directional track 11 there may be two parallel horizontal one-way tracks with mutually oppo-site driving directions along the first axis x. The aisle tracks 8 are bidirec-tional tracks extending along a second axis y extending transverse to the first axis x. in an alternative embodiment, instead of one bi-directional aisle track 8, the track arrangemeni 1 may comprise two parallel one-way aisle tracks 8 with mutually opposite driving directions along the sec-ond axis y.
[86] The track arrangement 1 comprises a plurality of connection tracks 31 providing connections between the aisle tracks 8 and the first horizontal one-way track 11 and/or the second horizontal one-way track 12. The connection track 31 serves as a track junction at one or more connection points 24 and is configured to being traversed by a carriage 2, wherein the carriage 2 can keep and/or change its driving direction, preferably by 90 degrees. 180 degrees and/or 270 degrees at any of the connection points 24. The connection tracks 31 ore in this embodiment unidirectional, but one or more of the connection tracks 31 may be bidirectional in other embodiments. The connection tracks 31 may be composed of a plurality of connection points 24.
[87] The connection tracks 31 each comprise a plurality of connection 5 points 24 to connect the horizontal tracks 11, 12 and/or the one-way ramps 14, 16, 20, 22 with each other. One of the connection tracks 31 extends along the second axis y from the horizontal irack 11 and the exit point 28 to the entry point 27. Thereby, the connection track 31 connects the first horizontal track 31, the exit point 28, and the entry point 27, so 10 that a carriage 2 can move from one of said tracks 11 and/or one-way romps 14, 16, 20, 22 to another.
[88] An first one-way ramps 14 ana second one-way romps 16 lead to-ward an entry point level 17 (not indicated in Figure la) of the at least 15 one interaction site 10. AU third one-way ramps 20 and fourth one-way ramps 22 lead away from an exit point level 18 (not indicated in Figure 10) of the at least one interaction site 10. The interaction site 10 con be accessed from the entry point level 17 and left from the exit point level 18. The entry point level 17 is the track level at which The Interaction site 20 10 can be reached by a carriage 2. In this embodiment, a carriage 2 can reach the interaction site 10 from the entry point level 17 without changing the track level on which it drives, i.e. the entry point level 17 is the interaction site level. The entry point level 17 and the exit point level 18 are here identical for the interaction site 10, i.e. the entry point 27 and 25 the exit point 28 are arranged at the same track level, namely at the track level at which the interaction site 10 is arranged. Le the interaction site level.
[89] In this embodiment, the exit point level 18 is the track level from 30 where the track level, at which the interaction site 10 is arranged, can be left via a third one-way ramp 22 and a fourth one-way ramp 22. The first one-way ramp 14 and the second one-way ramp 16 that leads to the: entry point level 17 connects an adjacent track level with the entry point level 17 at an entry point 27 of the interactiOn site 10 from which the interaction :site 10 can be redched by a carriage 2. The entry, point 27 is arranged at the entry point level 17. The exit point level 18 is con-nected at an exit point 28 of the interaction site 10 via o third one-way ramp 20 and a fourth one-way ramp 22 lo an adjacent track level 7, wherein the exit point 28 is arranged in the ex 11 point level '18:
[901 As also shown in Figure la, the first one-way ramps 14 comprise o first sequence of first ramps 13, the second one-way romps 16 comprise o second :sequence of second romps 15, the third: one-way ramps 20 comprise c third sequence of third ramps 19 and/or the fourth one-way ramps 22 comprise a fourth sequence of fourth ramps 21. Subsequent one-way ramps 14, 16, a 22 of the first second, third or fourth sequence i5 of ramps la, 15, 19, 21, respectively, are connected lo each other by one or two horizontal connection points 24, tn this embodiment, the third or fourth sequence of ramps 19, 21 is arronded so that a carriage 2 can lraverse any of =said sequence Of ramps 19, 21 without turns of 180 de-grees between ramps. The same applies for the second sequence upS-ward to the entry point 27. However; the first sequence downward to-word the entry point inclocles a turn Of 180 degreeS at the fourth frock level. This is, because the available lateral space does not allow for a wider track arrangement, i.e. for another track column at the right enct 1911 The self-driven carriages 2 are. configured le drive=c defined first path don() horizontal track 11 and first and second one-way ramps 14,

16: of the track arrangement 1 for automatically transporting a stored container 4 from a storage site 5 to an interaction site 10. The self-driven carriages 2 are configured to drive a defined second path along the:
one-way tracks 1 1 and third and fourth one-way ramps 20, 22 of the track arrangement 1 for automatically transporting a container 4 from the tproclion: site 101Q Q storage site 5, Therein, the first path and the second path can comprise common tracks 1 but no common ramps.. Prefera-bly, the automated siora,c.le system 25 comprises a one or a plurality of carriages 2, [921 At any storage eve 7, the horizontal track 11 enables a carriage 2..iQ move, on the same storage !eve! 7, from any aisle track8 to another aisle track $õ The bidirectional horizontal track 11 extends transversely to the aisle direction y. The bidirectional horizontal track 11: is arranged, in the aisle direction y, between the aisle tracks 8 and the first, second, third, o and/or fourth one-way ramps 14, 16, 2Q, 22, In the aisle direction y, the track arrangement 1 extends with a depth in y-direc.õ-tion of ihree track widths. Le. the width of throe connection points 24, [93] The bidirectional horizontal track Ills bidirectional to provide short paths between the interaction site 10 and any of the storage Sites 5, In an alternatiVe embodiment the track arrangement 1 comprises first and second horizontal one-Way trucks instead of one bidirectional horizontal track 11 to prevent any potential collision of carriages 2 when moving along the Said trotk and/or to provide a Unique first path and/or second path.
194] The track arrangement 1 comprises a plurality of first sequences 13 of first one-way ramps 14, a plurality of second sequences 15 of sec-ond=one-way= ramps I 6.o plurality of third sequences 19 of Third one-way ramps 20, and a plurality of fourth sequences 21 of fourth one-way ramps 22. Thereby, the track arrangement 1 comprises a plurality of first paths from any of the storage :sites 5 to the interaction site 10, and o plurality of second paths from the interaction Site 10 to any of the storage sites 5. This can increase the possible throughput of the automated Storage and re-system 25.

[95] in Hg. la, the interaction levet is the third level with the entry point 27 and an exit point 28 on The third evet The track arrangement 1:com-prises a plurality of first, second, third, and fourth sequences of one-way romps 13, 15, 19, 21, wherein each sequence comprises two one-way ron-ips 14, 16, 20, 22 to reach 011 five levels of the track arrangement.: The second sequence 15 comprises two second one-voy ramps 16 directed upward to the right and arranged in the same track. row below and left of the entry point 27. The third sequence 19 comprises two third one-way ramps 20 directed upward to the right and arranged n the some track row track row above and right of the exit point 28. The fourth sequence 21 OOmprises twO fourth one-way ramps 2.2 directed downward to the left and arranged in the same track tow below and tight Of the exit point .28. The first sequence 13 differs frOM the Other sequences 15, 19, 21 in that there is not sufficient lateral space It right from the entry point for the cdftidge to descend from the fifth top level, Therefore, one first one-way ramp 14 of the first sequence 1 between the fourth and third levelis directed downward to the left and arranged above and right of the en-try point 27 in the same track row Of the entry point 27. The other first one-way ramp 1 4 of the first sequence 13 between the fifth and fourth level is directed downward to the right and arranged in a different track row Than the entry point 27. Therefore; the path of a carriage along the first sequence 13 implies a 180-degree turn between the two first one-way romps 14. The available lateral space and the position of the entry point 27 and/or exit point 28 in the track arrangement I determine if and how many such 180-dearee turns may be needed in which sequence. The layout of the irack arrangement 1 may be chosen to minimise the num-ber of 180-degree turns as much as possible. However, if peed be, the first, second, third, and/or fourth sequences 13, 15, 19, 21 may comprise:
a plurality of 180-degree turns and may thus define a zia-zagshaped path.

[96] in the embodiments of Figs. la,b, the .track arrangement 28 is ar-ranged on a. three-dimensional grid, wh.ereln the connection. points 24, entry point 27 and/or exit point 28 define grid points. The grid comprises Z
track levels, Y track rows, and X track columns. The track rows extend transverse to the. aisle direction y (along x-axis:), so that a sequence of track rows extends in the aisle direction (along. y-axis)., The track.coluMns are defined by a sequence of connection point 24 vertically arranged:
above ..4ath other (along .z-axis), so that. a sequence of track .columns extends transverse to the aisle direction {along x-axis). The: one-Way io. ramps 14. 16. .20_22 connect adjacent track columns and levels which each other. The 'number Z .Of track levels equals here the number k of storage: levels .7, i.e. k.= 5 in Fig.. I. a. The number of track rows Y
equals the maximum number of connection point .24: at a connection track 31 in aisle direction y, i.e: Y = .3. in Fig. Ia. Additionally, some space in aisle direction y, May be provided for arranging the interaction track 26 and the interaction Site 10. In Fig. la, the number X of track Columns equals:
the. numberl of track levelS. This is particularly advantageous to reduce the number of. needed 180-degree turns. However., the carriages 2 may only be able to securely climb/descend ramps with a slope angle of less than tkmo?..., so that a minimum track column distance Dm irs may be needed to climb one level height H, wherein Anin =t7"'"If the available lot-eral.SpOCe does not allow a layout of the track arrangement with at least Z. track columns, the number X of trod( columns can be reduced down to a minimum number X of 2 at the cost of more MO-degree .turns, Pref-.
erably, the driving direction of ramps of the Same track row connecting.
the some track columns alte.mates between adjacent leveis. Preferably, the driving direction of ramps between the same levels and connecting the same tack columns differs between the track rows, Preferably, The driving direction of ramps connecting. the same levels in the some track row alternates between adjacent track columns.

[97] The number Y of track rows is counted from the front face '32 of the rack arrangement 3 forward in x-direction, so that the bidirecfional horizontal track 11 in Hg. la is arranged in track row number one. The number Z of track levels equals the number k of the storage levels 7, 5 wherein the bottom storage level has level number one and the top level has level number five in Fig. la. In Hg. la, the number of track columns X
is tive, wherein the first -track column on the right is track column number one, the entry point 27 is in track column number Iwo: and the exit point 28 is in the central third track column. Preferably, the entry point 27 and 10 the exit point 28 are arranged in adjacent track columns. Preferably, the entry point 27 and the exii point 28 are arronged on the same track levet.
[98] in ail shown ernbooliments, the romps of the same track row are arranged essentially in parallol to each other, Le. each extending from 15 bottom left to top right or vice versa, or each leading from top left to bottom right or vice versa. In Fig. la, all ramps of the second track row e.,,,.;1d from top left to bottom right between adjacent levels and track columns. Analogously, all ramps of ihe third track row lead from bottom left to top right between adjacent levels and track aolvnns. In Fig la, 20 =only 8 one-Way ramps 14, 16, 20, 22 in total would di least be required to Connect the entry point 27 and the exit point 2$ with any track level.
Seven of those one-way ramps 14õ 16, 20, 22 are arranged in the third track row and one first one-way ramp 14 between the fifth and the fourth track level and the first and second track column, if there was enough 25 lateral space for another track column right to the first track column, all 8 one-way romps 14, 16, 20, 22 could have been arranged in the same track row, so that the second track row would not be necessary alto-gether. Fig. la shows 32 ramps in total, of which 16 ramps are arranged in the second track row and =16 ramps are arranged in the third track row.
30 Therefore, the embodiment of Fig. la comprises a redundancy of 24 ad-ditional ramps that provide alternative options= for paths to the entry point 27 or from the exit point 28. This may reduce the risk of congestions and allow for more traffic, Le. for more carriages 2 to be operated .simultane-ously. Moreover, the track arrangement of Hg. Id could allow for up to three more interaction sites 10 to be served In parallel For instance, an-Other interaction Site Could be arranged on the third track level between the fourth and fifth trade column, and/or on the first and/or fifth track level between the second and third track column and/or between the fourth and. fifth track column.
[99] Figure 1b shows a perspective view Of another embodiment of an automated. storage System 25 according to the present disclosure. The Storage rock arrangement 3 is. here relatively' narrow Oton,g the first axis x.
with only two racks' 6 and one aisle 9 between the racks 6. The storage rack arrangement 3 it relatively tong alOng the second axis y with 20 Stor-age sites 6 arranged along the aisle 9. Analogous to the track orange-merit 1 the Storage rack arrangement '3 is arranged On a grid with 20 storage rows along the second axis y, eight storage rows along the first axis X and five storage level's alOng the vertical axis z, Le. k = 5. The total number of storage sites 6 is thus 800.
[100] The track arrangement I as shown in FigUrelb has nine track lev-els, three: track columns and'hivo track rows to Serve one interaction site ID at the second track level via interaction track 26. The track arrange-ment 1 is particularly useful for norroW Storage rack arrangements .3 with limited lateral space.TheStoroae rack arrangement 3 has Only 5 storage levels, but the track arrangement 1 comprises four .additional auxiliary intermediate track levels between the track levels 1-2, 3-4. 5-6 arid The track arrangement I thus comprises 16 relatively short one-way ramps 14, 16, 20, 22. that each. climb only half a storage level to keep the slope angle below the maximum slope angle z. i.e.. the frock level dis-lance of the track. arrangement I is here hall the storage level. height.
Five !1St ramps 14 connect track levels 8-3 downward, three second ram pS 16 connect track levels 1-3 upward, five. third rarnps 20 connect track levels 3-.8:upward, and three fourth ramps 22 connect track level 3- 1 downward, The path along a sequence of ramps 14, 16, 20, 22 may include a zig-zag sequence with one or more 180-degree turns at the lateral ends, Le. at the first and third column, A central connection track 31 at the second track column leads into central aisle tracks 8. The first and third track column are auxiliary track columns with connection points 24 at the auxiliary intermediate track levels, where the carriages 2 can Make a 180-degree turn to climb or descend a track level upward or downward. In this embodiment, horizontal tracks IL 12 with a driving direction transverse to the aisle direction y can be dispensed with, be-cause the storage rack arrangement has only one aisle ()) At any storage level 7, the aisle tracks 8 are Connected by the one-way ramps 14, 16, 20. 22 to the interaction track 26. in the aisle direction y, the track ar-rangement extends by the width of two connection points 24 away from the front face 32 of the rack arrangement 3.
01)15 Any of the described track arrangements 1 is arranged so that the track arrangement I can be extended arbitrarily by reproducing the shown track arrangement 1 and/or a section thereof along the first axis x, periodically. This makes the track arrangement 1 modular and adapt-able to the size of the storage rack arrangement 3.
[102] Fig. 2 shows a carriage 2 carrying a container 4 on a connection point 24 in more detail. The carriage 2 has essentially a box shape with a certain width W along the first axis x, a certain length along the second axis y and a certain height H along the vertical axis z. The container 4 has only slightly smaller dimensions along the first axis x and the second axis y, bulls significantly higher along the z-axis. The container 4 is placed on top of the carriage 2 which thereby carries the container 4. The container is secured and centred on a tap support surface 39 of the carriage 2 by means of a securing and centring sysirn comprising engaging elements 4 described in more detail with reference to Figs.. 9a, 9b, The top sup-port surface 39 of the carriage 21s vertically, movable to lift and lower the container 4. Fig. 2 shows the support surface 39 in a lifted position.

[1031 The carriage 2 is able to drive "laterally" on first rail tracks 36 ex--tending along the first axis x by using a fit'st wheel set 37 of four wheels and 'longitudinally" on second rail tracks 42 extending along the second axis y by using a second wheel set 43 of four wheels. Thus, the carriage 2 comprises eight wheels in fotaL The wheels of the first wheel set 37 are arranged at a front side 47 and a back side 49 (not visible in Fig. 2) of the carriage 2. The wheels= of the second wheset 43 are arranged at a ieft side 51 (not visible in Fig. 2) and a right side 53 of the tarri.age 2. The carriage 2 is Significantly longer along the second axis y than wide along the first axis x. Similarly, the whe.ei base of the first wheel set 37 is signifi-cantly shorter than the wheel base of the second wheei set 43. Accord-ingly, a first track gauge 55 of the first rail tracks 36 is significantly larger than a second track gauge 57ot the second all tracks 38. The first rail tracks 36 may be part of the ramps 14õ i 6, 20, 22, the horizontal tracks 11 and installsd within the racks 8 along the x-axis for the carriages 2 to en-ter the racks 8, The second rail tracks 38 may be part of the aisle tracks 8. The connection paints 221 may comprise both first rail tracks 36 and second rail tracks 38 crossing each other.
[104] In the shown embodiment, the first wheel set 37 is mounted on a first chassis 59 of the carriage 2, whereos the second wheel .et 43 is ver-tically movable between a driving position and an idle position relative to the first chassis 59 of the c:arriage 2. Thus, the second wheel set 43 is vertically movable relative to the first wheel set 37. The lower one of the first wheel set 37 and the second wheel set 43 is in the driving position and the upper one of the first wheel set 37 and the second wheel set 43 is in the idle position. in fact, the first wheei set 37 is lifted together with the first chassis 59 when the second wheel set 43 is in the driving position and moved downward. In an alternative embodiment, only the first wheel set 37 or both wheel sets 37, 43 may be vertically movable relative to the first chassis 59 of the carriage 2. The second wheel set 43 is preferably mounted to a second chassis 60, wherein the first chassis 59 and the second chassis 60 are movable relative to each other (see Fig.
5), [105i The carriage 2 further comprises guiding elements 61 in form of a plurality of pulleys that are rotatable about a vertical axis z and arranged at the front side 47, the back side 49, the left side 51 and the right side 53 of the carriage 2. At least a subset of the pulleys may be arranged at The four vertical edges of the carriage 2 to serve as a guiding element 61 for both driving along the first axis x and driving along the second axis y. The guiding elements 61 partly protrude outwardly relative to the respective front side 47, back side 49, left side 51 or right side 53 they are arranged at, so that the pulleys Can roll along vertical guiding Surfaces provided by the first rail tracks 36 and second rail tracks 38, respectively. Thereby, the carriage 2 is able to smoothly and efficiently drive along the first rail frocks 36 and lhe second rail tracks 38, respectively. The pulleys may be spring-loaded outwardly to centre the carriage 2 on ihe first rail tracks 36 and the second rail tracks 38, respectively.
[106) The first wheel set 37 has a relatively short first wheel base 63. This is advantageous for entering and leaving, with a sufficient ground clear -once, the romps 14, 16, 120, 22 that extend laterally along the first axis x, The second wheel set 43 has a relatively long second wheel base 65. This is advantageous for driving quickly on the aisle tracks 8 that extend lon-gitudinally along the second axis y between the racks 6.
[107] Fig, 3 shows a view on the back side 49 of the carriage 2 carrying the container 4 on the lifted support surface 39. The carriage 2 has a height H when the support surface 39 is lowered. The support surface 39 is essentially vertically movable by a rarx.3e d above the height H. The container has height h, wherein h > H. Therefore, the maximal height of the carriage 2 carrying the container 4 is H + d + h, when the support surface 39 is lifted. Therefore, the minimal height of the carriage 2 carrying the container 4 Is H h, when the suppori:surfdte 39 is lowered.
The vertical position Of the Support surface 39 defines the total height H
d of the carriage 2 by comprising at least three Contact points for sup-oohing the Container 4 from below. In Ho. 3. the first wheel set 37 is lower 5 than the second wheel set 43, i.e. the first wheel set 37 is in the driving position for driving laterally along the first axis x;
[1081 Figs, 2 and 3 also show how the Securing and Centring :system of the carriage 2 works. The Securing and centring system n comprises in this 13 embodiment two pairs of corresponding engaging element 41:: They are arranged at the support surface 39 in Such a way that they are able to engage with receiVing elements 41 at the bottom of the container 4. The engaging elerhents 41 of each pair are rotatable about the second axis y in mutually opposite directiOrti i.e. clockwise and counter-clockwise, 15 respectively, (see dashed arrows in Fig. 3) so that they outwardly engage with the receiving element 67. Engaging of the engaging :elements 4 i with the receiving element 67 may include hooking the engaging ele-ments 67 into the receiving elements 67, On the path between the idle position (see Figs. 4a,b) and the securing position (as shown in Fig. 3), in 20 case the container 4 is not exactly centred with respect to a symmetry plane yz of the carriage 2, .Qfl:6 engaging element 41 of a pair may con, lact the container 4 before the other engaging element 41 of a pair.
Further motion of the engaging elements 41 will push the: container to-wards a laterally=centrol position on the support surface 39. The container 25 4 is thereby both centred with respect to the symmety plane yz of the carriage 2 and secured downward,/ to the support surface 39.
[I.091 The carriage 2 also comprises a sensor arrangement 69 arranged at the back-left edge of the carriage 2 and directed horizontally at an 30 angle, e.g. 45 degrees. between the positive first axis x and the negative axis y. The track arrangement I may compelse optical markers, electrical tags andjor lane markings that The sensor arrangement 69 is configured to identify for determining the position of the carriage 2 in the track arrangement 1. The positibn Of the sensor arrangement 69 at an edge of the carriage 2 and its angled directed orientation are .advantageous to use a single sensor arrangement 69 for both determining the position aloha the first axis k and the position along the second axis y.
[110] In .Fig. 4a, the Second Wheel set 43 is lower than the first wheel set 37,1,e, the second wheel Set 43.1s. in the driving position for driving longi-tudinally .along the second axis y. The first Wheel set 37 is in the idle posi-tion, but the wheels of the first wheel set 37 may be driven Simultaneously to the wheels Of the second wheel Set 43. The support surface 39 is low-ered and the engaging elements. 41 ore in the idle position. As can be.
better seen in Fig. 7, the engaging elements 41 are, in the idle. position,.
fully positioned below :the support surface 39, whereas they at least partly protrude above. the Support 'surface 39 when they ore in the. securing Position (see Fig. 3).
[111] In Fig, 4b, the first wheel set 37 is lower than the second wheel set 43, i.e.. the first Wheel set .43 is in the.. driving position for driving longitudi-nally along ihe first axis x. The Second wheel set 43 is in the idle position,:
but the wheels of the second wheel set 43 may be driven simultaneously to the wheels ofthe firSt wheel set 37. The supportsurface 39.is lifted and the engaging eleMents .41 are in the idle. position, It Should be noted that the Support Surface 39 has a distance S to .the longitudinal ends of the .carriage. 2 along the second axis y, i.e. to the front side 47 and to the.
25. bock. side 49, As shown in Fig. 2, the container 4 is longer along the sec-ond crAs y that the support surface 39, so that a forward end porton of the. bottom of the container .2 and a backward end portion of the bot-tom of the contotner.2 is not supported by the support surface 39. When the container 4 is stored at a storage site 5. of a. rack 6, the. container 4 preferably rests, with the forward end portion of the bottom of the con-tainer 2 and the backward end portion of the bottom of the container 2, on a pair of corresponding rack fillets extending along the first axis x.
The corresponding rack fiflets .have p distance to each other that is greater than the length of the support surface 39. Thereby, the support surface 39 is able to pass between the rack fillets when it is lifted from a lowered position to a lifted position by the range d in order to lift the con-tainer 4 off the rack fillets for transport.
[H 2] Some of the interior parts of the carriage 2 ore visible in Fig. 5. The carriaae 2 comprises a drive Motor 71 for driving both the first wheel set 37 and the second wheel set 43. Both, the first wheel set 37 and the second wheel set 43 may be coupled to the drive motor 71 irrespective whether they are in the idle or driving position. This means that both wheel sets of the carriage 2 may be driven simultaneously, wherein the power consumption of driving the idle Wheel set is marginal. However, the first wheel set 37 and the second wheel set 43 are.: preferably cou-pled to the drive motor 43 via a gear system providing different trans -5 mission ratios or gear ratios for the Iwo wheel sets 37, 43. The carriage thus comprises a gear system 73 (see Fig. 6), wherein the gear system 73 is operable with a first gear ratio and a second gear ratio. The gear sys-tem 73 is configured for driving the first wheel set 37 with the first gear ratio and for driving the second wheel set 43 with the second gear ra-tic), wherein the first gear ratio is significantly larger than the second gear ratio. This means that the wheels of the second wheel set 43 run significantly faster than the wheels of the first wheel set 37 at a given speed of the drive motor 71. This is particularly advantageous for quickly driving oiona the long aisle tracks 8 along the second axis y by driving with the second wheel set 37 .Accordingly, the output torque of the wheels of the first wheel set 37 is significanty higher than the output torque of the wheels of the second wheel set 43. This is particularly ad-vantageous for climbing the ramps 14, 16, 20, 22 along the first axis x by driving with the first wheei set 37. Preferably, the first wheel set 37 and/or the second wheel set 43 are driven as a four-wheel drive.

[113] The second chassis 60. on which the second wheel set 43 is mounted, is vertically movable by four vertically extending leadscrews 75 arranged dose to the four vertical edges of the carriage 2. The lead screws 75 are mechanically coupled via transmission belts 77 to a pair of lift motors 79 (see Fig. 6) for simultaneously driving all four leadscrews 75.
The leadscrews 75 are mounted on the first chassis 59 and the second chassis 60 is mounted to the leadscrews 75 by lifting elements 81 engag-ing with an outer thread of the leadscrews 75 and Thereby vertically mov-ing upon rotation of the ieadscrews 75. The carriage 2 further comprises vertically acting springs 83 that are expanded upon a downward move-ment of the second chassis 60 relative to the first chassis 59 and released upon an upward movement of the second chassis 60 relative to the first chassis 59. The springs 83 thus preloaded for pulling the second chassis 60 upward. The carriage 2 further comprises at least one detector element 5 85 for detecting other carriages 2 or obstacles in the oath along the first axis x and for avoiding collisions.
[114] As shown in Fig. 6, a first output of the gear system 73 is mechani-cally coupled to the two wheels of first wheel set 37 arranged on the left-hand side of the carriage 2 by at least one first drive shaft 87 extending along the second axis y. Analogously, a second output of the gear sys-tem 73 is mechanically coupled to the two rear wheels of the second wheel set 43 by at least one second drive shaft 89 extending along the first axis x.
[115) The rear wheels of the second wheel set 43 are coupled to the second drive shaft 89 by means of a transmission belt 91 so that the sec-ond wheel set 43 can be driven at any vertical position of the second chassis 60 relative to the first chassis 59. The carriaae 2 further comprises a rechargeable battery 93 in form of a stack of battery modules for sup-plying the carriage 2 with electrical power. The carriage 2 further com-prises a control system 94 comprising hardware in form of control elec-tronics on one or more printed circuits boards (PCBs) and software configured to control the carriage 2. The details of how ihe control sys-tem 94 works and is connected for executing the method for automati-cally storing and/or retrieving containers 4 in the racks 6 of the storage rack arrangement 3 is schernaticaly displayed in Fig, 10.
[116] Fig. 6 also shows the securing and centring system with the engag-ing elements 41. The carriage 2 comprises a securing motor 95 for actu-ating at least one first actuator shaft 97 extending essentially along the first axis x. The first actuator shaft 97 is mechanically coupled to a pair of second actuator shafts 99 extending along the second axis y. The sec-ond actuator shafts 99 is configured to drive the engaging elements be-tween the idle. position and the securing position by rotating about the second axis y, wherein one of the pair of actuator shafts 99 rotates clock-wise while the other one of the pair of actuator shafts 99 rotates counter-clockwise. The details of the securing and centring system are better vis-ible in Fig, 9a,b.
[I 17] As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the support surface 39 is mounted on four vertical columns 101 that are vertically movable in parallel to each other. The lift motors 79 are used to drive the lifting motion of the support surface 39. The total vertical path of the lifting elements 81 along the leadscrews 75 has two path sections, Le. a lower path section and on upper path =section, in the lower path section, the lifting elements 81 are used for lifting/lowering of the second wheel set 43, and, in the upper path section, they are used for lifting/lowering of the support surface 39.
Therefore, the lifting elements 81 mounted on the leadscrews 75 have a dual functionality, i.e. for pushing the second wheel set 43 downward against the springs 83 in the lower path section and for pushing the sup-port surface 39 upward in the upper path section. The upper end of the springs 83 is mounted to a spring bracket 102, \A/herein the vertical loca-tion of the spring bracket 102 defines the transition between the lower path section and the upper path section. When the lifting elerne,nts 81 move upward from the lower path section towards the upper path section, the springs 83 are contracting and pulling the second wheel set 43 upward, When the springs 83 ore fully contracted, the second wheel set 43 has reached the idle position. The lifting elements 81 enter the up-per path section upon further upward movement after the second wheel 5 set 43 has reached the idle position. In the upper path section, the lifting elements 81 push the support surface 39 upward into a lifted position. This is particularly advantageous, because the lifted position of the support surface 39 is only needed when the second wheel set 43 is in the idle Position, [118) Figs, 9o,b show only the support surface 39 having a width M and o length L together With the securing and centring system, wherein Fig;
90 shows the engaging elements 41 being in the idle position and Fig. 9b Shows the engaging elements 41 being in the securing position. The length L of the carriage 2 thus relates to the length of the support surface 39 by the formula L = Ls +2 5, wherein S is the distance of the: support surface 39 to the longitudinal ends of the corrigae Z i.e. the front side 47 and the back side 49 The width M of the support surface 39 is only slightly smaller than the Width W of the carriage: 2. The engaging elements 41 are wronged in two corresponding pairs of a left-hand side engaging:
element :41 and a right-hand side engaging element 41. The left-hand side engaging elements 41 are rotatable slmultoneously to the right-hand side engaging elements 41, but in the opposite: direction. This is achieved by a pair of first actuator shafts 97 acting as connection rods being hinged at diametrically opposite sides to a rotor axle of the secur-ing motor 95 in a way similar to Q crank shaft The rotation Of the securing motor 95 is thereby transformed into a mutually opposite pushing and pulling motion of the first actuator shafts 97 essentially along the first axis x. The laterally outer end of each first actuator shaft 97 is hinged froM
below to one of the pair of second actuator shafts 99 being rotatably mounted to the support surface 39 from below by brackets 103. The mu-tually opposite pushing and pulling motion of the first actuator Shafts 97 rotates the second actuator shafts 99 in opposite directions (as indicted by the dashed arrows). The enaaging etements 41 extend radially from the second actuator shafts 99 in form of hooks that are configured to project through openings in the support surface 39 when they are moved from the idle position into the securing position. Preferably, in the securing position, the hooks 41 hook into a corresponding recess in the receiving elements 67 to secure the container A safely against lipping over and slipping off the support surface 39. The engaging elements 41 do not pro-ject through the openings in the support surface 39 when they are in the idle position as shown in Fig, 99: They are thus "Stowed away" in the idle position (Fig, 90): A mutually opposite pulling motion of the first actuator shafts 97 results in a simultaneous securing motion of the engaging ele-ments 41 of about 90 degrees outward from the. 1die position (Fig, 9o) towards the securing position (Figõ 9b). A mutually opposite pushing mo-tion of the first actuator shafts :97 results in a simultaneous unsecuring ma-'Non the engaging elements 41 of about 90 degrees inward from these-curing position (Fig, 9b) towards the idle position (Fig, 9a). Preferably, the securing motor 95 is Q step motor configured to drive selectively in two directions about a defined rotation angle of up to 180 decrees.
[119) In the securing position of the engaging elements 41 shown in Fig, 91D., the hooks 41 are hooked into recesses 67 at the bottom of the con-tainer (not shown in Fig. 9b) for securing the container 4 on the support surface 39. On the way from the idle position (Fig. 9a) towards the secur-ing position (Fig. 9b), the hooks move essentially laterally outward after they have moved essenfidly upward to pass through the openings in the support surface 39. The outward movement Of the hooks is used to cen ire The container 4 relative to the central symmetry plane yz before it is se-cured on the ti.LoDort surface, 39µ
[120] Figs, 10o,b show another embodiment of o corriage 2, wherein the wheels Of the first wheel set 37 and the wheels of the second wheel set 43 extend at least partially out of the outer contour of the carriage i.e. they are not fully embedded in the outer contour of the carriage 2 as shown in The embodiments of Figs. 2-B. This IS particularly useful for the first Wheel set 37, because the romps 14, 16, 20, 22 extend predominantly alongthefirst axis x to climb a track level between two connection points 24.
[1211 The romps 14, 14. 20.22 .may be shaped as shown in. Figs. 10aõ..1) comprising a maximum Slope angle of approximately 15 degrees, The romps 1.4, 16õ 20, 22. may COMpriSe a lower concave portion 104 with a smoothly upwardly rising .slope .angle and an upper convex portion 106 With a smoothly upwardly fog slope angleõ There may be a straight portion 108 with a .constant maximum slope .angte arranged between the lower concave portion 104 and the upper convex portion 106. Pref-ercibi). the lateral end points Of the rafts 14, 16,. 20, 22 have eSsentially zero Slope angle. where they conned to the connection points. 24. This IS shape allows for a srhooth.change of the trod( level and reduces the risk of tipping over for the carriage 2 carrying the contdner 4.
[122] The ramps 14, 16, 20,. 22 may: further comprise securing: rails 110 comprising a securing surface1.12'facing essentially downward and ar-ranged at a distance to a running surface 114 of the: first rail tracks .36 The distance is slightly larger than the .diameter of the wheels of the: first wheel set 37, so that. the wheels of the first wheel set 37, that extend for, wordy and backwardly out of the contour of the of the carriage 2, are able to run on the wring surface 114 below the securing surface 112.
The securing roils 110 have here a &profile partly embracing the wheels of. the first wheel set .37: The securing rails. 110: here extend along the straight portion 108 having the constant maximum slope .angle so that tipping over of the carriage 21s prevented where the slope angle is larg-est.. If the carriage. 2 carrying the container 4 starts tipping :over, for in-stance due to momentum of container loa:O. sliding downwards within the container 4, the.wheels.of The first wheel set 37 may shortly lift off from the running surface 114 of the first roil tracks 36. to abut against the secur-ing .surface 112.: The wheels of the first .wheel set. 37 will. then return downwards to run on the running surface 1'14 again. Thus, the securing rallS 110 secure the carriage '2 On steep portions of the ramps 14, 16, 20,.
22:
.123] 90. 11 shows how the control system 94 is connected to other 'components and modules for controlling the carriage 2. The other com-ponents and modules may be implemented by hardware inside and/or outside the carriage 2. Alternatively, or in addition, the other compo-nents and modules .may .be implemented by executable software in-Stalle.d inside and/or outside the carriage:. 2. For instance,. the Control.
sys-tem 94 May be skint!l connected to an 'interface module 105 for corn-municafing with an external Main control system of the storage. system 25: The control =system 94 May receive commands and/or information from the main control system of the storage system 25 via the interlace module 105. The control system .94.may send status reports, position infor-mation, warnings, foilures..or other information to:the main control system of. .the storage system 25. via the interface module 105. The interface module 105 preferably provides for a wireless communication connec-tion..
[124] The control system 94 is further Signal connected to a drive moclue 107 for controlling the drive. motor 71, one or .more lift modules 109 for controlling the One or more lift motors 79, and a securing module ill for controlling the securing Motor 95; The control system 94 is further signal 25. connected to a detector module 113 for communicating With the at least one detector element .85 and/or the sensor arrangement 69. The control system 94 may thus receive signals from the detector element 85 and/or the sensor arrangement 69 indicative of information about the own position Of the carriage 2 and the position and/or cirivinq direction and/or speed of other .carriages in the vicinity.
[125] Where, in the foregoing descriptions 'integers or elements are =
Mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalen then such equivalents ore herein incorporated as if individually set forth.
Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present disclosure, which shou d be construed so as to en-compass any such equivalents, it will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the disclosure that are described as optional, preferable.. advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims.
El 26] The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative ex-arnples of the disclosure. II is to be understood that any feature =de-scribed in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodi-ments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments, While at least one exemplary embodiment has been shown and described, it should be understood that other modifications, substitutions and r,-,iiter-natives are apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and may be changed without departing from the scope of the subject matter de-scribed herein, and this application is intended to cover any adapta-tions or variations of the specific embodiments discussed herein.
[127] In addition, "comprising' does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" or "one" does not exclude a plural number, Furthermore, characteristics or steps which have been described with reference to one of the above exemplary embodiments may also be used in combi-nation 'with other characteristics or steps of other exemplary eõmbodi-ments described above. Method steps may be applied in any order or in parallel or may constitute a part or a more detailed version of an-other method step, It should be understood That there should be em-bodied within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modi-fications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of the con--tribution to the art. Such modifications, substitutions and alternatives can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclOsure, which should be determined from the appended Claims and their le:ga eqUivalents, [128] Us: of reference numerals:
track arrangement 5 2 carriage 3 storage rack arrangement conialn.er storage Site 6 rack 10 = akie track 9 aisle 10 interaction site 11 horizontal track 13 first Sequence Of first one-way ramps /5 14 first one-way romp 15 second sequence of second One-Way ramps 14 second one-way romp 19 third -sequence of third one-way raMps 20 third one-way rortip 20 21 fourth sequence of fourth one-way ramps 22 fourth One-way ramp 24 connection point 25 automated storage system 26 interaction track 25 27 entry point 28 exit point 11 horizontal kack 31 connection track 32 front face 30 36 first rail tracks 37 first wheel set 38 second rail trocies.

39 support surface 4) engaging element 43 second wheel set 47 front side of carriage 49 back side of carriage 51 left side of carriage 53 right side of carriage 55 first track gauge Ji second track gauge 59 first chassis 60 second chassis 6 guiding element 63 first wheel base 65 second wheel base 67 receiving element 69 sensor arrangement 71 drive motor 73 gear system 75 leadscrew 77 transmission belt 79 lift motor 81 lifting element 83 spring 85 detector element 87 first drive shaft 89 second drive shaft 91 transmission belt 93 battery 94 control system 95 securing motor 97 first actuator shaft 99 second actuator shaft 101 vertical COlUM:r1 102 spring bracket 103 bracket 104 lower concave portion 105 interface module 106 Upper Convex portion 107 drive module 108 Straight porlion 109 lift module 110 securing rails 111 securing module 112 securing surface 113 detector module 114 running surface < first axis second axis vertical as X number of track columns number of track rows 2t1 Z number of track levels height of container H height of carriage d. range of support surface iiff distance of support surface to longitudinal ends of carriage Ws Width of support surface Ls length of support surface

Claims

Claims 1. A self-driven carriage (2) for automatically storing and accessino containers (4) in a storaae rack arrangement (3), wherein the car-riage (2) comprises a first wheel set (37) for driving along a first axis (x) and a second wheel set (43) for driving along a second axis (y) extendina transverse to the first axis (x), wherein at least one of the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) is essentially ver-fically movable between a driving position and an idle position, wherein the lower one of the first wheel sei (37) and the second wheel set (43) is in the driving position and the upper one of the first wheel set (37) and lhe second wheel set (43) is in the idle posi-tion, characterised in that the carriage {2) further comprises a support surface (39) for carry-ing a bottom surface of container (4), wherein the carriaae (2.) further comprises a centring and securing system for centring and securing a container (4) on the support surface (39), wherein the centring and securing system comprises at least Nvo engagind el-ement (41) being simultaneously Movabie in opposite directions to each other between an idle position and a securing r...-,c)sition, wherein the engaging elements (4=1) are configured to engage, in the securing position, with the container (4) for securing the con-tainer (4) on he support surface (39).
2. The self-driven carriage (2) according to ciaim 1, wherein The en-gaging elements (41) are positioned below the support surface (39) in the idie position and above the support surface (39) in the securing position.
3. The self-driven carriage (2) according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the engaging elements (41) are mechanically coupled with each other and driven by one securing motor (95), 4, -The self-driven carriage (2) occording to any of the precedin:q clairns,.wherein the support surface (39) is essentioily vertically movable relative to the lower one of the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) being in the driving pos tion.
5. The self-driven corria:ge (2) according to any of the preceding clairnsi wherein the support surface 139) has a distance (S) to the ends of the corriage (2) along the second axis (y).
6, The self-driven carriage (2) acCording to any of the preceding claims. Wherein the firSt wheel set (37) and the second wheel Set (43) are driven by one drive motor (71).
7, The self-driven carriage (2) according to cidirn 6, Wherein the first wheel set (37) and the second Wheel set (43) are driven simultane-ously when the lower one of the fieSt Wheel set (37) and the sec-ond wheelSet (43) i5 in the drivinq pos'clion and the Upper one of the first Wheel set (37) ond second wheel set (43) is in the idle posl-8. The self-driven carriage (2) according to cfairn 6 or 7, Wherein the first wheel set (37) and the second wheel set (43) ore mechani-cally cOUplea to the drive mator 171) by a gear system :(73).
wherein the gear sysiern (73) is Operable with a first gear ratio and a second:gear ratio, wherein the gear Systern (73) is configured for driving the:first wheel Set (37) with the first g6or ratiO Ond for driving the second ,Nheel set (43) with the second gear ratio, whereih the first clear ratio is at least two tirnes, preferably at ledst three tiMesõ
larger than the Second gear ratio.
9, The self-driven carriage (2) occordina to any of the preceding claims, wherein the-first wheel set (37) and/or the second wheel sei (43) are essentially vertically movable by at least one lift motor {79).
10., The self-driven carriage (2) according to claim 9, where:in the sup-5 port surface (39) Is essentially vertically movable, by the at least one lift motor (79), re.lative to the lower one of the first wheel set (37) and the second w,heel set 11. The self-driven carriage (2) according to any of the precedina 10 claims, wherein the centring and securing systern comprises at least one securing rnotor (95) for simultaneously moving the at least two engaging elements (41) in opposite dfrections to each other betwee.n the idle position and the. securing position.
15 12, The self-driven carriaae (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first wheel set (37) has a first wheel base (63) and the second wheel set (43) has a second wheel base wherein the second wheel base (65) is significantly larger ihan the first wheel base :,'63).
13. The selt-ciriven carriage (2) according to any of ihe preceding claims, wherein the length (1) of the carriage (2) along the second axis (y) is significantly longer than the width (W) of the carridoe (2) along the first axis (x), 14. An automatic storage system (25), comprising - at least one self-driven carriage (2) according to any of the preceding claims, and - a plurality of containers (4) for being autornatically stared and accessed at storage sites (5) in a storage rack arranaernent (3) extendng over k storaae levels, wherein each container (4) comprises a bottom surface with re-ceng elements (67) corresponding to ihe engagina elernerris (41) of the ot least one self-driven carriage (2), wherein the receiving elements (67) of a container (4) have the some arrange-ment to each other fo cii containers (4).
15. The automatic storage system (25) according to claim 14, further comprising a track arrangement (1) coMprising - first rail tracks (36) having a first track gauge (55) and extend-ing essentially along the first axis (x) and - second rail tracks (38) having a second track gauge (57) and extending essentially along the second axis (y), wherein the=first track gauge (55) is significar4 laraer than the=
second track =gouge (57).
16, The ClUtornatic storage system (25) according to claim 15, wherein the track arrangement (1) cornprises I 5 - at least one interaction site (10) for automatically processing or issuing the containers (4), at least Z track levels, wherein Z > k, - an entry point (27) on the m'h track level for the at least one in-teraction site (10), wherein rn6{1,...,Z), and 20 -- an exit point (28) on the ntr= track level for the one of the at least one interaction site (10), wherein n õ wherein the track arrangement (1) further comprises for each interac--Ron site (10):
Z m first one-way romps (14) directed downward .10.-25 wards the entry point, m 1 second one-way ramps (16) directed upvvard to-wards the entry point, Z n third one-way ramps (20) directed upward away from the exit point, and 30 n fourth one-way ramps (22) directed downward dWay from the exit point, 17, The automatic storage systern (25) according to cloirn 16, wherein for each interaction site (10). the entry point (".27) and the exit point (28) ore arranged at the some track levei, 38. The automatic storage system (25) according to claim 16 or 17, wherein one or more of the first one-way ramps (14), of the second one-way rarnps (16), of the third=one-way ramps (20), andior of the fourth one-way ramps (22) are arranged to connect ad aceht track levels with each other.
P. The automatic storage system (25) according to any of the claims 16 to 18, wherein all ramps (14, 16, 20, 22) comprise first rail tracks (36) having the first track gauge I 5 20. The aUtOrnotir storage system (25) occording to any of the claims 16 lo 19, further cornprisin,g dsle tracks (8) extendino; on E.ach stor-aae level, essentially horizontally along the second axis (y) be-tween racks (6) of the storage rack arrangement (3), wherein all aisle tracks (8) comprise second rail tracks (38) haying the second track gauge 21. The aujornofic storage system (25) according fo ony of the claims 16 to 20, wherein - subsequent first one-way romps (14) are connected to each other by one or hmo horizontal connection points (24), anator - subsequent second one-way ramps (16) are connected to each other by one or two horizontal connection points [24), analcx - subsequent third one-way ramps (20) are connected to each other by one or two hor'Iontal connection poinls [24), and/or - subsequent fourth one-way rarnps (22) are connected to each other= t)y one or two horizontal connection points (24).

n. The automatic storage system (25) according to any of lhe claims 16 lo 21, wherein the track arronaement ) is ofranged on a threeensional arid with Z track levels. Y track rows and X track columns, wherein connection points (24-) define arid points of the three-dimensional grid and the ramps (14, 16, 20, 22) are arranged In at least one track row, preferably two track rows, between ad-jacent or second-nearest track columns to connect odjaceni track levels or second-nearest track levels with each other.
23. The automatic storage system (25) according to claim 22, wherein the Y track rows extend dong the first axis (x) and the X track col-umns extend vertically.
24. The automatic storage system (25) according to claim 22 or 23, .15 wherein the number X of track columns equais the number Z of track levels.
25. The automatic storage system (25) according to any of the clairns 22 to 24, wherein the driving drection of The one-way ramps (14, 16, :2o, 22) of the same track row connectina the same track col-umns alternates between adjacent track 26. The autornalic storage system f=25) according to any of the claims 22 to 25, wherein the driving direction of the one-way ramps (14, 16, 20, 22) between the same track levels and the same track col-urnns differs between the track rows.
27. The automatic storage system (25) according to any of the claims 22 to 26, wherein the driving direction of ramps (14, 16, 20, 22) con-necting the same track levels in the same -track row alternates be-tween adjacenf track colurnns 28õ The automatic storage systern (25) according to any of the claims 16 to 27, wherein at least one of the first one-way rarnps (14), sec-ond one-way ramps (16), third one-way ramps (2Q), andlor fourth one-way ramps (22) has a slope angle of 5 to 2.0 degrees, prefero-by 12 to 17 degrees, 29. The automatic storage system (25) according to any of the claims 16 to 28, wherein the al least one interaction site (10) cornpdses a charger module for charging a battery (93) of the at least one carriage (2) during automatically processing a stored container (4) and/or automatically issuing a container (4) to be stored, 30. The automatic storage system (25) accordng to any of the claims to 29, wherein the track arrangement (1) is arranged so that it can be extended arbitrarily b.y reproducina a section of said track arrangement (1) along the first axis (x) periodically.
31, The automatic storage system (25) accordina to any of the claims 15 to 11, wherein at least one carriage (2) comprises= a sensor ar-rangement (69) and the track arrangement (1) comprises an opti-cal marker, an electrical tag andfor a lane marking, wherein the sensor arrangernent (69) is confiourecl to identify the optical marker, the electrical tag and/or the lane marking for determining the position of the at least one=carriage (2) in the track arrange-ment (1).
32, The automatic storage system (25) according to any of the clairns 15 to 3L wherein the track arrangement (1) is arranged at a front face (32) of the storage rack arrangement (3).
33, A method for automatically storing andfor retrieving containers 4) in racks (6) of a storage rack arrangement (3), the method comprising the steps of - driving a self-driven carriaae (2) on a first rail track (36) having a first track gauge (55) and extending along a firs! axis (x) for posi-tionina the carriage (2) at an aisle (9) between the racks (6).
5 wherein the carriage (.'2) is driven with a first aear ratio, - driving the carriage (2) on a second rail track (38) having a sec-ond track gauge (57) and extending along a second axis (y) trans-verse lo the first axis (x) for positioning the carriage (2) cilong the aisle (6), wherein the carriage (2) is driven with a second gear ra-I 0 tio, driving the carriage (2) on a first rail track (36) having the first track gauae (55) and extendina along the first axis (x) for position-ing the carriage (2) within a rack (6) below a container (4), wherein the carriage (2) is driven with the fht gear ratio, 15 - lifting a support surface (39) of the carriage (2) for carryino o bot-tom surface of he container (4), - securing and centring the container on the support surface (39) by simultaneously rnovina al /east lswo engaging elements (41) in opposite directions to each other from an idle position into a se-20 curing position for engaging, in the securing position, with lhe con-tainer (4), - driving the carriage r2) carrying the container (4) on the first rail track (36) for leaving the rack (6) towards an aisle (9), whe?.-ein the carriage (2) is driven with the first gear ratio, 25 - lowering the support surface (39), and - driving the carriage (2) on a second rail track (38) having a sec-ond track gauge (57) and extending along the secOnd axis (y) for leaving ihe aisle towards an interaction site (10) for processing ihe container (4), wherein=the carriage (2) is =driven with the second 30 gear ratio, 34. A method according to claim 33, further comprising:
- driving i he carriage (2) carrying ihe container (4) on a first rail track (36) having the first track gauge (55) and extending along the first axis (x) for positioning the carriage (2) at an aisle (9) be-tween the racks (6), vyherein the carriage (2) is driven with the first gear ratio, - driving the carriage (2) carryina the contdner (4) on a second rail =track (38) having the second track =gouge ;57) and extending along ihe second axis (y) for positioning the carriage (2) along ihe aisle (9), wherein the carriage {2) is driven v\,/ith the second gear ra-tio, - iifting the support surface (39) of the carriage (2) together with the container (4), - driving the carriage (2) carrying the container (4) on a first rail i 5 track (36) for positioning the carriage (29 within a rack (6) at an empty storage site (5), wherein the carriage (2) is driven with the first gear ratio, unsec.uring the container by simultaneously rnoving ihe at least two engaging elements (41) in opposite directions to each other from the securing position into the idle position for disengaging, in the idle position, the receiving elements (67) at the bottom surface of the container (4).
-=lowering the =support surface (39) for placing the container (4) at the storage site (5), - driving the carriage (2) on a first rail track (36) for leaving the rack (6) towards an aisle (9), wherein the carriage (2) is driven with the first gear ratio.
35. The method according to claim 33 or 34, wherein the first gear ra-tio is at least two times, preferably at least three times, iaraer than the second gear ratio.

36. The method according to any of the claims 33 to 35. \wherein the first track gauge (55) is significantly larger than the second track gauge (57).
37. The method accordng to any of the claims 33 to 36, wherein driv-ing the carriage with or without the container (4) on a first rail track (36) comprises drKeing on a romp 114, 16, 2, 22) for changing be-tween storage levels of the storage rack arrangement (3).